Intake manifold for oil interceptors



June 9, 1942. E. w. N. BOOSEY INTAKE MANIFOLD FOR OIL INTERCEPTORS Original .Filed Dec. 27, 1940 1N VENTOR. Fob/I700 M/Mflmszx uulzi'x Patented June 9, 1942 1 INTAKE MANIFOLD FOR OIL INTERCEPTORS Edward W. N. Boosey, Detroit, Mich.

uriginal application December 27, 1940, Serial No. 371,907. Divided and this application July 5, 1941, Serial No. 401,223

7 Claims.

This invention relates to intake manifolds for oil interceptors and is a division of my pending application Serial No. 371,907.

The object of this invention is to provide an intake manifold having parts so constructed and arranged that the lighter constituents of the liquid flowing thereinto are discharged to the upper surface of the liquid in the interceptor body and the heavier constituents pass downwardly in the manifold to the bottom of the body and thence to the outlet which is preferably so constructed as to prevent oils on the surface of the liquid in the interceptor from passing through the interceptor outlet. The specific outlet structure is not material to the invention herein set forth and claimed as various characters of outlet members may be provided to function with my improved inlet manifold as hereinafter described and claimed.

These and other objects and features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form of construction of an intake manifold for oil interceptors embodying my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. l is a vertical section through an oil interceptor and showing my improved intake manifold in its preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, similar to Fig.2,

showing an alternative form of the upper end of the manifold.

The invention seeks to provide a comparatively inexpensive structure in which infiowing liquid containing the lighter oils is directed against a plate or wall within the manifold which is so constructed as to direct the major portion at least of the infiowing liquid upwardly, the plate or wall forming a pair of vertical passageways within the manifold so that heavier liquids that may discharge upwardly on the inlet side .of the wall pass over and to the opposite side of the plate or wall to flow downwardly and discharge from, the bottom of the manifold to the bottom of the interceptor body and the lighter liquids are discharged through the upper open end of the manifold to the surface of the liquid within the interceptor.

In the drawing is shown an oil interceptor substantially rectangular in form having a body indicated generally at I and a flanged cover 2 secured to the flange provided on the upper end of the body as by bolts 3 touseal the cover to thebody.

My improved intake manifold is indicated generally at 4 and in the preferred form shown has an upper enlarged portion 4a threaded at its lower end to receive the vertically positioned conduit 42) of less cross sectional area terminating at its lower end above the bottom 5 of the interceptor.

The side Wall ii of the interceptor is apertured and a threaded hub 1 extends through the aperture in the wall ii and a nut 3 is threaded on the hub l and tightly engages the Wall 6 about the opening and forces the said wall about the opening to tight engagement with an enlarged portion 9 of the hub I thus sealing the intake manifold to the wall 6 of the interceptor body. The opening in the hub "I is taper threaded to receive the threaded end of an inlet conduit l0 discharging into the manifold.

As described in said application No. 371,907 (of which this application is a division) the opposite end wall of the body has a threaded hub ilb below the water level indicated by dotted line a to which the outlet conduit |2a is connected and associated with the outlet is the outlet manifold indicated generally at 13b and having a vertical conduit I la through Which liquid discharges to the outlet, the specific features of which are described and claimed in the aforesaid U. S. application, Serial No. 371,907 and form no part of this present application as the specific form of outlet has no bearing upon the function of the specific inlet manifold structure, except to maintain a predetermined liquid level in the interceptor body. Means such as the tube I4 is provided at the outlet to prevent an accumulation of gases under pressure in the interceptor body as described in the said application Serial No. 371,907.

The intake manifold involving my invention may be of greater length than is here shown as it may be extended upwardly asindicated by dotted lines 40 so that the inlet conduit would be positioned as indicated by dotted lines [Ga and the lighter liquids discharge out of the top of the portion 40 into the body. In either of the positions of the inlet conduit Illa. I provide a plate or wall H or lla opposite the inlet conduit and practically centrally of the upper end portion 4a or 40. This plate or wall, in either case, extends a distance below the discharge end of the inlet conduit and preferably has a lower flange [2 extending toward the inlet and leaving a space I3 between said flange and the outer wall of the manifold below the inlet. Thus some liquid may flow from the inlet downwardly in the manifold but the major portion of the liquid including the oil is projected upwardly and the oil tends to discharg through the open upper end of the manifold while the heavier liquids tend to flow downwardly in the channel [4 between the plate 4 and the wall 4a of the manifold. By restricting the rapidity of volume of flow of liquid from the inlet conduit l d0wnwardly in the manifold a time period is provided for the lighter oils or gasoline to discharge over the top of the manifold to the surface of the liquid within the interceptor while the heavier liquids discharge to the bottom of the interceptor body and flow to the outlet.

An alternative form of intake manifold is shown in Fig. 3 which ,is identicalwith the structure shown in Fig. 1 except that the plate or dividing wall Ila lies at an angle to the vertical throughout its length providing the same area of opening |3a at its lower end and the upper end is positioned on the vertical center line of of the manifold as is the casein the form shown in Fig. 1. It is pointed out, however, that either dividing wall H or Ila may bepositioned nearer one side or the other of the vertical center line of the manifold.

While I hav described the intake manifold as having the upper end above a normal liquid level determined by the outlet structure, it is pointed out that the invention is not confined to such position of the upper open end of the intake manifold as it may be, and often is, constructed to position the upper open end of the intake manifold below the liquid level. In either cas the lighter liquids, due to the plate or dividing wall II and its arrangement, discharge over the top of the manifold due to the fact that the infiowing liquid cannot discharge as readily through the space I 3 which restricts the rapidity of flowof liquidin a downward direction. Thus, due to the volume and pressure of the infiowing body of' liquid, the greater portion including the floating oil discharges upwardly in the intake manifold and the oilis' discharged out of the upper end thus preventing flow thereof to the outlet. Incidentally an oil draw-off means may be provided as indicated at iB- in Fig. 1.

It is believed evident from the foregoing that the various features and objects of this invention are attained by the arrangement of parts of the intake manifold 4 to function after the manner above described particularly by the re striction of flow from the inlet directly to the bottom of the manifold and thereby forcing the major portion of the liquid to the topof th intake manifold with the heavier liquids tending to flow downwardly in the passageway i and into the portion 41) of the manifold and to the bottom of the interceptor. Although some of the heavier liquid may flow through the restricted space I'3- to the lower end it of the manifold it would be the heavier liquids flowing along the bottom of the inlet conduit [-0.

The major portion of the liquidand oils are thus caused to pass upwardly and to separate at the upper end of the manifold and the heavier constituents passing downward into the-passageway- Hi to the portion 4b of the manifold. It thus becomes of importance that the plate or partition H shouldterm-inate at its uppe-r edg-e below the upper end of the intake manifold which permits the heavier liquids to pass thereover and the lighter liquids are forced over the top of the manifold by infiowing liquid. It is therefore believed evidentthat my improved intake manifold serves as a separator of the gasoline or oils that may flow with water into the manifold from the inlet conduit It! and that various changes may be made in the specific structure and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secur by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An inlet manifold adapted for positioning within the body of an oil interceptor having an opening in its wall between its upper and lower ends, comprising an.open ended hollow member for positioning vertically within the body and having a hub on one side extending through the said opening for connection with an inlet conduit, means within the manifold opposite the discharge end of the inlet conduit separating the manifold into two passageways for a distance above and below the discharge end of the inlet and terminating below the upper open end of the manifold, the upper open end of the manifold being above the normal liquid level of the body.

2. An inlet manifold for positioning within-the body of an oil interceptor having an opening in its wall between its upper and lower ends, comprising an open ended hollowmember for positioning vertically within the body and having a hub onone side for connection with an inlet conduit, 2; vertica-l Wall- Within the said member opposite the discharge end of the inlet conduit and separating themanifold into two vertical passageways for a distance above and below the discharge end of the said inlet andterminating below' the upper open end of the manifold, the manifold being of greater cross sectional area from a point below the said hub to the upper end and of less cross sectional area therebelow providing a means tending to restrict the rapidity of flow of inflowing liquid to the lower end of the manifold and thereby tending to discharge the liquid upwardly through the upper open end of the body.

3 An inlet manifold for positioning within the body of an oil interceptor having an inlet opening in its wall between the'u-pper and lower ends thereof, comprising an open ended hollow member for positioning vertically within the body and having a hub on one side between the said ends thereof for connection of an inlet conduit therewith, said member being of greatercrosssectional area from a point immediately below the said hub to the top than the cross sectional area thereof from the hub to the lower end, a vertical wall within the said member opposite the hub and having an upper end terminating below the upper open end of the" manifold, and a lower end portion downwardly and outwardly inclined toward the hub and terminating a distance from the hubside of the member providing a restricted pasageway; the said vertical wall separating the manifold into two passageways for a distance above and below the discharge end of the" inlet connected with" the hub, and the said downward-1y inclined portion of said vertical wall providing a means tending to restrict the rapidity of flow of the liquid from the inlet conduit to the bottom of the manifold thereby tending to cause flow of a major portion of the liquid upwardly in the passageway between the vertical wall and. inlet side of the hollow member due to pressure of infi'owing liquid.

4. An inlet manifold for oil interceptors having an outlet and means for maintaining a normal liquid level therein, comprising a vertically positioned, open ended tubular member within the interceptor body having its lower end spaced a distance from the bottom of the body and its upper end above the normal liquid level, means intermediate the said ends of said member for connection of an inlet conduit therewith, a deflector element within the said member separating the same into two passageways for a distance above and below the inlet, said deflector terminating below the upper end of the member and providing a means whereby inflowing liquid containing oils is deflected upwardly as a body to discharge the constituents of lesser specific gravity over the top of the said member and permitting the constituents of greater specific gravity to pass over the top of the deflector and thence downwardly on the opposite side thereof from the inlet to discharge to the bottom of the interceptor.

5. An intake manifold for positioning Within the body of an oil interceptor comprising a chambered member of greater cross sectional area in the upper portion thereof and of less cross sectional area therebelow and open at the top and bottom, said manifold being arranged for connection with an inlet conduit to discharge into the manifold adjacent the lower end of said upper portion thereof, a dividing wall in the said upper portion positioned opposite the inlet and providing two parallel, substantially vertical passageways in said upper portion, said wall terminating at the upper end below the open top of the manifold and at its lower end adjacent the point of junction of the portion of lesser cross sectional area with the portion of greater cross sectional area, the whole providing a structure tending to restrict the volume of flow of liquid per unit of time downwardly in the manifold whereby the pressure of inflowing liquid causes the liquid in said upper portion of the manifold to rise and discharge the heavier constituents of the liquid over the top of the separating wall to the opposite side thereof and thence into the lower part of the interceptor body and the lighter constituents of the inflowing liquid to pass outwardly of the upper open end of the manifold into the upper part of the interceptor body.

6. An intake manifold for positioning in the body of an oil interceptor, comprising a tubular member, the upper portion of which is of greater diameter than the lower portion and opening to the interceptor body at the top and bottom, said manifold being arranged for connection with an inlet conduit to discharge thereinto adjacent the lower end of said upper portion thereof, a dividing wall in the said upper portion, the upper end of which is below the open top thereof and the lower end of which is above the upper end of the lower portion, and providing two open ended passageways, the whole providing a structure tending to restrict the volume of flow of liquid per unit of time downwardly in the manifold whereby the pressure of infiowing liquid causes the liquid in said upper portion of the manifold to rise and to discharge heavier con stituents of the liquid over the top of the separating wall to the opposite side thereof and thence into the lower part of the interceptor body and the floating lighter constituents of the in flowing liquid to pass out of the upper open end of the manifold.

7. An intake manifold for positioning in the body of an oil interceptor, comprising a chambered member having an inlet intermediate its ends, a wall in the upper portion of said member separating the same into two passageways extending longitudinally thereof to the lower end of one of which the inlet discharges, the said wall being nearer the inlet side of the manifold at the bottom than at the top and providing a restricted pasageway for flow of liquid from the inlet to the bottom portion of the manifold, whereby the major portion of the liquid discharging into the manifold passes upwardly, said wall terminating below the top of the manifold substantially as and for the purpose described.

EDWARD W. N. BOOSEY. 

